The Sun. — London, England, 1818-11-06 00:00:00

LITERARY R.EVIEW. THE FAST O!'ST. MAGDALEN, a Itomance. By Miss ANNA MARTA PORTIM, in Three Volumes, Mom '• Thou shah leave 'Each thing beloved most dearly-s 'tis the last - shaft Shot frourthe bow of exile." 4.:,tazi's DANT& Among the literalymo - velties, of this early sea son, we have to notice a Romance from the 'inte resting pen of Miss.Martia irtrETEA. Of the CIO. 'amities incident to Authors, there is pet haps none ,store aillictive than the rtinhiguoits uncertainty Which invoives the fate of their best and fairest productions. WI It To those Who are .conversant the works ref 'imagination, it is well known that merit affords no criterion for :success, and even to have ()lice obtained the public suffrage is no guarantee for future acceptance. To predict the destiny of a work just issued from the Press, is in general a task that far exceeds the measure of critical sagacity; without the aid of Vaticinating Illumination. • Yet often as we have had occasion to witness the failure of critical predictions, tve ventore'to prooonce, that . The Fast of St. Mug- Wate.n must not poly sustain, bot exalt the repo tation which her Don Sebastian and Ece of NI. John have already conferred on the ingenious Au thor. The scenes are often dramatic, the chit - 4actel s are pouttrayed with much delicacy and feeling, and like its predeces , ors, The Fast of St. Magdalen breathes all those high, noble, and magnanimous SelitirnelltS, SO congenial to this 15! yle of compobition. The scene is laid in Italy, at that eventful mo ment, in the 16th century, ►when Florence and I'isa, mutually irritated and indignant, exhibited within their comparatively narrow walls a series of revolutionary Mirrors and crimes, almost pa rallel with these which, during the proscriptions of Sylla and Marius, had once half-depopulated republican Rome. For the subject of romance, roiling could b e i n,,r e happily chosen than this brilliant, turbulent period, when warriors and poets, scholars and sages, all mingled in the scene, and the spirit of chivalry, not yet extinct, reflected a kind of romantic grandeur on the re suscitate:l arts and letters, which rose as precur sors of a better age ; the virtues, the vices, the climes, the calamities, of this sera, bad all an expreSsion of super-human energy, whether ex hibited in stupendous effort, or magnanimous endurance. Amidst the lofty inspirations Of poetry and painting, the soul kindled at the clas sical name of liberty, and the imagination re ceived imptessions not unworthy of Rome or Greece, and destin t ed to produce, wotks . ripe for immortality. The Fast of St. Magdalen opens with such spirit, that we cannot refuse ourselves the satisfaction of offering an extract from the First Chapter : " At the closz of the year 1508, a small Pisan town in the Appenines was stormed and taken by the Florentines. " The assault had teen made at midnight; and the confu td,,n of darkness was thus added to the customary horrors of war. " To the continued roar of artillery (reverberated by moun tain echoes) succeeded the less deafening, but more dreadful sounds of the rush of troops, the clamour of pursuit, and the cry of quarter! " Along streets, slippery with blood, were heard the fre quent imprecations of ferocious soldiers, as they stumbled over the dead, or received musquet wounds, from the few des ptrate inhabitants, who yet maintained a straggling fire from their windows. ", At intervals, sudden flames were seen to blaze up fr s om the fall of combustible materials in the burning houses, mak ing visible the awful contrast of the tranquil surrounding ppenines, and lighting the armed rufliart to his prey, as he followed in haste and uncertainty, to plunder or violence. " Prayers, curses,.shouts ; the strife of tutu and the strug gles of women; the thrust of (lavers and the report of pis tils; were heard at the entrance of every place, where affec tion or avarice had hoarded its treasures. " In rain were the images of a dying Saviour held up be fore the lawless multitude, by,the monks of Spit it° Santo : their worshipped emblems were tradipled under foot ; their Monastery itself forced and entered. ",While the Florentine commander beheld - these outrages with indifference, one of his coadjutors, whose he lmet had fallen in the combat, and whose blanched cheek betrayed his loss of blood, was running from street to street, calling loud ly on the troops to•spare the town and its inhabitants. " A rumour reached him, that. some of the soldiers hail broken down the gates of the Spirito Santo, and that a wo man of desperate courage was opposing herself to their en trance. Certain that nut even Amazonian habits could lung resist, or heroic spirit awe an unbridled crowd, be flew to the monastery, and se nding his voice before hits as he flew,' wade the. human tide pause for a moment. " Valoinbrosal' was repeated by several voices at the same instant, with different expression. Some exclaimed it with vexation, others with insolent disregard ; a few with ser vile fear; but the greatest number echoed it with enthusiasm. The young leader to whom that name belonged, pressed on wards with his Whole excited soul in his looks. Having , caught a glimpse of a woman's white garments beyond the throng of plunderers, hr called on them again to give way ; but his words were uttered to worse than roaring elements, and he suddenly stopped. Unloosing his jewelled baldric he threw it amongst them; and the costly ornament instantly occa sioning a struggle for its possession, left the object Valom brosa soeght,to sueconr, free to fly. But 'instead of flying, she cast herself on her knees, in an attitude of supplication ; extending her arms as if she would fain bar all entrance through the open gates. " UncimscionS that his own figure appeared - like that of some Archangel, beaming war anti mercy from the same brow, Valombrosa gazed astonished on that of the sup pliant. " It was not an armed and fierce Amazon he beheld; it was a trembling woman of exquisite beauty, in whose looks and actimi nothing was visible but tenderness and terror. " Pale as 'moonlight, her unpraised face was distinctly warkvd by the wild brightness of dark imploring eyes, and by a quantity of yet darker hair, which fell dishevelled over her n.;clt anti shoulders. Her lips moved in agony, but they could runt articulate a sound. As Valombrosa, recovering from his surprise, was advancing towards her, an old mail, in a military habit, suddenly appeared front the inner court, and called out, ' Ippolita The lady turned eagerly round, and Valombrosa observed an instantaneous change in the expression of her eyes, as this person made the sign of the ermia, twice upon his breast ; the next mouteut she raised those eloquent eyes to Ileaven, then closing them, fell back insensible. "The veteran soldier rather flung his.sword towardsValom brosa tbao delivered it up; but the assurance that she was his daughter, might have excused this informality to a less compassionate heart.' " Valombrosa assisted the old man in raising her front the ground ; then addee,Ssing a few words of intreaty and coins wend to the soldiees, 'he succeeded in prevailing upon them to respect thu sanctuary of their religion. " When the outer gates were 'closed, he entered the monas tery : Valombrosa soon perceived, from the unsteady steps of his companion, and the appearance of blood oozing through Lis doublet, that lie was ill able to bear eeen'the light weight of a fainting woman ; with a courteous action, therefore, Ile transferred her to his own arms; soothing the alarmed monks *limn la. met as they went along, with assurances of his abi- Itty to protect them. " Atter reaching the parlour of the monastery, Valombrosa laid the lady upon some rushes which one of the lay breithers bad gathered into a heap from the floor ; and recommending every inhabitant of the house. to remain within the walls, till Inc could return and say the troops were gone to their iparters, he quitted the apartment. " lie turned back ore the threshold, with a cheering look of graciousness, and returned the conquered sword to its owner; the old warrior kissed the hand which extended it, whispering, am still your prisoner, generous Sir, lint I have bled in many battles; 1 know, therefore, the death-wound when it comes-•orgy genferee isiaerer laying his - band tiptin itis ' as for my poor Ippolita, she will remain your priso►ier 1 and I shall die in peace ; others will live in peace, when they hear that she is fallen into such noble hands. Fur the sake of Jesu, then, return and succour her r " Tbe fortunes of the Medici form the basis of this story, to which the Author has contrived to, %.npart very intense interest, without that roan don and complication of incident which destroys the superior effect - that human characters must always produce. We mean not, by analysing the the fable, to defraud the Reader of the gratifica tion derived from the alternation of hope and fear in a well•constructed story ; but we may be allowed to offer the following•sketch of Ippolita, not only as a model of female virtue, but as a most pleasing example of chaste and elegant. 'composition : " tier modest, though beautiful exterior, could excite no ex pectation of the extraordinary soul by which it was informed : for the usual tran►tuillity of her complexion did not even brighten her dark an►l deeply-shaded eyes into mote than a gentle lustre ; and as she had the habit of listening and speaking with those eyes cast down; the most momentous changes might be passing in her mind, without becoming vi ' Bible to the persons she conversed with. " Conscious that her character Was beyond the general scale of her sex, she had the instinctive discretion of seeking to keep its superiority concealed; and as she could clothe the noblest thoughts in the simplest phrase, the peculiar lofti ness of her sentiments often passed unnoticed while they were uttered Thus, when she was called into action upon great occasions, even the persons who fancied they knew her best, were astonished to see her act with an energy and abi lity rarely equalled by women. " Ippolita disdained art, yet did she sway every one with whom she lived; those only. excepted, whose worldly interests clashed with her's,---so much harder is it to subdue sordidness, than to pacify humour. She actinired this power simply by a ' talent for conciliating, which having its source in real bene %%deuce, won its way to its object unperceived and nosus pected. She maintained her power, by never seeking to display it. " 'hying established for herself a standard of excellence, which it was the aim of her life to reach ; and having fixed her eve u pon the sublimest objects, she could not stoop it to the low gratifications of vanity. " Her own approbation (after that of Heaven) was what she sought : and while her fortune smiled, she sought it, not by superstitions and useless restraints, but-by fete enjoyment of all the pleasures of society, and cheerful devotedness to ail its duties. Wheuthat fortune frowned, then she laboured to walk confidingly through storms' and darkness, and to trust on the very verge of destruction. "In truth, the perfection of her character was in danger qnly from an excess of self-discipline; since in resolving to ettir rate selfishness, Ippolita sometimes removed herself to such an unattainable height from her less heroically practised friends, that affection and sympathy sighed ovur"their dis union." On comparing this Work with the former pro ductions of the same pen, it is impossible not to discover that the active fancy is now submitted to the discipline of judgment and experience, and that, with the same aptitudes for combination, the Author has acquired rich and copious mate rials for her invention, and, without losing the vividness of I;er feeling, has obtained by observa tion and refiexion, that keen insight into human nature, that comprehensive knowledge of real character, which gives an almost unlimited com mand over our sympathies and affections, and enables a truly moral writer to hecome the most impressive teacher of virtue. LONDON JOURNALS. [FROM THE MORNING PAPERS OF THIS DAY.] [Morning Chronicle.] The 'following is an Extract of a Letter dated Cadiz, October 13 : " The late frequency of failures in this place has greatly destroyed mercantile credit, but that of the Government is still lower. Whatever the Government wants here most' be paid for in money, or else taken nut of the merchants' ware houses by a guard of soldiers. The late occurrences at Ma drid hate tended to weaken the credit of the Government still more, as it is evident there is no plan, no concert, and no cordiality among those who stand at the helm dpower. " Two vessels belonging to a convoy of four, which left Lima at the end of last June, hare arrived here safe, with • valuable cargoes and about a million of dollars on board, for • the account of private individuals, anxious to withdraw their funds from Peru, now threatened with an invasion. Great care was taken to prevent the passengers and efeW from giving out any news. It has, however, been ascertained, that the loss of the haitle of Maipo, and the expected re-. sults, had created the greatest anxiety in Lima, which had been stripped of every thing-to further the, expedition un der Ossorio. For this operation, large contributions had been made on the monied interest, whose patriotism by the Spanish Chiefs is always calculated according to the sum subscribed Ott behalf of Government; hut they did this under a curtain expectation that this was the last time they would be called upon. Ott these people, therefm e, the loss of the expedition operated as a thunderbolt. Several J ntas were held by the old Spaniards at the Viceroy's Palace, wher i e the guards and persons assembled were sworn to silence, but their object did not reach the public. It was, however, un derstood that dispatches. explaining the situation of the country, were sent to the Government at home; and, in the mean time, the threadbare stratagem of keeping up the spirits of the people by _promised arrivals of expeditious fruits Cadiz, was resorted to." [Morning Herald.] Til E QUEEN. " Kew, Eight o'Cloek, Nor. 5. " The QUEEN appeared so composed, yester day morning, that Sir Henry Haliond ventured to visit the King and the Princess Sophia, at Wind sor Castle, and he left the Palace for that purpose soon after seven o'clock ; Sir Francis Manton and Mr. Brande remaining in attendance on the Queen. Tw'vardi seven o'clock, however, her Majesty became extremely feverish, and lot -Sever rat hours her cough was very troublesome. In consequence, Sir Francis did not retire front the ante-chamber the whole night, and duritt4 the course of it, he several times visited his August Patient The Prince Regent arrived a little be fore six o'clock, and Sir Henry Halford having previously returned from Windsor, he, and Sir Francis Milman,l waited upon his . Royal High ness with their evening report ; •at which time her Majesty remained in a great measure free from any of, the more painful symptoms of her disease, but her strength was not at all recruited.---The Prince is expected to remain late." [The Times.] Our Correspondence this day from Aix-la-Cha pelle hints at the solicitude expressed by Prussia to ha've some substitute agreed upon by Congress, for the treaty of quadruple alliance, if now to be -abandoned. The Court of Berlin is said to have been desirous that a stronger bond of union should be established amongst the German States, than any which the present constitution of Germ-nay furnishes, with a view to counteract the possible influence of France upon the minor Powers of tt he . Federation. We have not heard what decision has been performed upon that very interesting subject. A negociation is described to be on foot between Prussia and the Netherlands, re • specting certain changes of territory between the Rhine and the Aleuse which latter river, through- ant a teThill sous a its course, the Court of Berlin is desirous of possessing for a Western frontier. The present race of inhabitants in that country have changed masters so often within thirty years, that they cannot he presumed to feel an habitual attachment to any Sovereign ; and so far their affections *re not likely to be outraged but the present Constittition of the Netherlands confers more liberty than that of Prussia; and we cannot yet understand by what diplomatic autho rity the rights ola free people can be bartered or impair ed. THEATRICAL REGISTER. Perforated Last Night. TITEATIIE ROYAL, DRURY-LANk.—A New Way to Pays Id Debts : Sir Giles Overreach, Mr. Kean ; Lady Allworth, Mrs. Knight. After Which (3d time), Barmeeide. Timm?. liovAL, Cov&r-GaavF.N.—Adelgitha Gniscard, Mr. Young; Adelgit ha, Miss Somerville. After which, (Isnime) a new Dance, called Paul and Virginia. To which was added, Who Wins TO CORIa;;I'ONDENTS. 1G NOT us, Tu-morrow. MAILS. ARRIVED-1 Dublin, I Waterford, 1 Holland. DUE-1 Guernsey and Jersey, 1 Sweden, 2 Hamburgh. PRICE OF THIS I)AY AT T , 2 perCent.Red. 3 per Cent. 34 per Cent.... Sf; F STOCKS WEI,Vg o'CLOCK. Bank L. Ann... 20 India Stock 232i India Bonds... .S7s. pr. _ . 4 per Cents . 5 per Cent. N. Ann..... 1070: E. E I Exch. Bills, 18s. Ci.at. fi,r Account .... YTON, Stock-Beolirr, Cornhill, and Lombard-street. HIGH WATER AT LONDON BRIDGE TO•NIORROW. :11411ing, 20 minutes after 10. I Evening, 45 minutes after 10. THE SUN. 11111 LEM QV'S PICERE, FALSLIM AUDEAT ? LONDON, FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 6, 1818. HER \1 ESTY.—T!te following Bulletin %vas. slued this snot " KEW' PALACE, NOV. 6. " The QUEEN has had an indifferent night. er ,MAJESTY remains much indisposed. (signed) " Fit NIILMAN. • ILALFORD." We received this mrruing the Paris Papers of Tuesday last. The following are Extracts : " PARIS, Nov. 3.—Sunday the King received at the Thuilleties the Ministers, Marshals, Cardi nals, &c. " The King of Prussia, the Duke of Mecklen burg'', and the Prince Royal at Prussia, visited on Sunday Madame and the Princes. " The King went yesterday to Argenteuil. "The Duke d'Angouleme set out yesterday morning at half•past six for Strasburg. His Royal Highness will, it is said, remain six weeks in the Northern Departments, where he is to assist at the surrender of the fortresses. " Sunday the King of Prussia, the ninces his sons, and M. de Humboldt, visited the Panorama of London. " The King of Prussia is is slightly indisposed ; a Majesty, it is said, will very soon leave Paris. "The Duke d'Escars, First Maitre d'Hotel to the King, was to have had the honour of receiv ing on Sunday to supper the King of Prussia.—, His Majesty arrived at the Thuilleries at eleven o'clock. Twelve musicians, placed in the Black Corridor, executed some pleasing pieces of music. The august Traveller had allowed several. Peers of France and persons of the highest dis tinction to be present at this repast, but unfortu nately his Majesty found himself so much indis posed that he was compelled to retire previous to the bancinet. " The King of Prussia was at the King's Court at the Thuilleries on Sunday at noon, with the Prince Royal and the Duke of Mecklenburg. The Portuguese Ambassador and Marshal Beres- ford were also present. " It bas been mentioned, that the Electoral College of la Sarthe, after the refusal to serve of M. Thore, -who had been elected one of the Deputies, had suspended its sittings till the 30th Oct. (not November). The Government having decided, that the refusal to serve of M. Vlore, must be determined upon by the Chamber of Deputies, the College proceeded on the 30th to the election of a fourth Deputy, when M. de I.a Fayette was elected by a majority of suffrages. " We learn from Wissenberg, that the deplr. tore of the Wurtemberg corps d'artnee, which was to have taken place on the 28th ult., had been postponed till t he, 2d inst. " The King of Prussia was to have set out last night, but his Majesty's departure is deferred on account of hisindisposition. FIVE PER CENTS. . 71 1. 40c. Monday TWFRIUIED STOCK. Of the 224 March, 1817, f;3 f. —c. 221 Sept. 1817, 214 March, 1818, 7O f. —c, 2241 Sept. 1818, AIX-LA-CH4PELLE,. OCT. 27.-1 he depar tnre of the Ministers here will, it is suploscd, take place between the 12th and 15th November. " OCT. 30.—There was yesterday Conferences at the hotel of the Prince de Hardenberg, at which the Doke de Richelieu was present. " The Duke of Wellington returned here the ° day b e f o r e yeat6iday, and itnmeiliatO after°r paid a visit - tolord Castlereagh. set e n * " It is said the Sovereigns will hence between the 12th and 16th Novern beri f to " Sir Thomas Lawrence, Portrait Pillite-co. the Prince Regent of England, ivat present ployed here in painting for his august Maiiieritillo. trait of the Emperor of Austria. H e is alsc)iefor .missioned to paint portraits of the Emperc'r ic . l l , sic, the King of Prussia, the Prince de gettern bo and the Prince de liardenberg. S ir rib°ll3sfibt established his Painting-room in Pa rt ° t he Grand Saloon of the Town House, where Treaty of 1748 was signed. rg f the " STRASBURG, OCT 26.—The depart"— (1 ., t o Austrians, according to the last intelligence' commence early in November. The bead'qi,\Tl„, tors will not quit Colmar till the middle of vclllinr. . ne or °' " VALENCIENNES, OCT. .30.---Th e e Eincr i 1 er ° Russia, on his return florn Paris, arrivet' ) ,1 nine o'clock yesterday evening. The job abit° spontaneouslorning at y illuminated their houses. ~les l . e IP • bi is m ten his I m perial "' ' set out for Brussels. " T qt r :' crowd both on his arriva l an LiePlrfi.l,r'l • e . made the air resound with shouts of anti e. " BRUSSELS, OCT. 30.—The Emperor of and the King of Prussia. are exrected here' the 12th Nov. and tb remain some d a ys. c e V"' " FRANKFORT, OcT.29.—The EmPre'' ger of Russia kyout yesterday from SLutto° Binssels." 4 t h" We find, by the French Paper s rece'; ve ' ,c 0 dry, that LA FAYETTE has been elected t« s hl among the Chamber of Deputies. Thi s ' 46 fe Rr '0 no means so uninteresting as it eraY -f , 5 (11 1 specting the nacre individual, but as 91110) temper of the people, it' may be c onaer % striking fact.--LA FAYETTE iS DOEOrii/n5ll 0 0 11 publican. or a Jacob i n , which Means ' lle ' st i thing. He is a man of very weak lj avve b r , those-powers' have been rendered wo ke) . 0 64 He led his King in captivity back to sf lt( the amiable and unfortunate Mona rch 500 0,11056 fell a victim to those infamous wyetcbes'ot principles were congenial with ib l ' se ,i g o FAYETTE. He even treated his SO" 11- r i s ,eti ic'' that fatal journey back to Paris, vr'i h ,leserb4° salt. It has been said that LA FeOl re il' fr ':: some credit for having, during the ( been among those who propose d tit,' 11,0 ar t t rot be did 0 0 Silent of 800 NAPARTE , (.„ ° front loyalty to his rightful Sovereg' \''" i 1 4 his attachment to Republican Pr'neil)l's. ac ° respect, then, can it be supposed tti a ' g `', l l will feel for the present King of d i ce may it not rat her be expected ty t i l l oo f e ll e l. all in his power to over th row the ilosencptiblicu; BON, and to reduce the Monarchy t 0 dap petiol The election, therefore, of such a 5 1 °,0 considered as an important fact , sil/c6 r e lo°f d that those Jacobinical QE to prevail in France, demand the V r ier ioa It o the Allied Troops till the full, e° °W ce ell 1 0 the pemind limited for their con,od, French .territories. We have often Or e re e c if regret anti alarm on the removal of ° c ol . f ‘ f tie corps which constitwed a p `e pre rote 0e France, and a safeguard for EuroPe• tasty ''o,l to recur to the homely adage, " t °° , v er e ",l of spoil the Broth, " but the m eetiog and their Ministers, seems to have 5 I 1 °" ,1 14 the expectations of all E u rope , - L oa , t the vi's nr el o excite its apprehensions , les- r e re' P 0, fOC f' again exposed to all time danger t , it tionary horrors, naturally consecl°ntrifleiPles bahle re-ascendancy of Jacobin .11 France. ltehnti this ndt,at •(eff y:res wet ing......-- 1 01 3 t 6 ? I y G azette cco Pw7-' oleo only time -, .., .. tr oi part of it, and taust o latein . Al 1 hour 1 S::: *P We have I 1 Mi I itr ei°:ect6% 6;I: I ,ll' the ,ft WasTmiNs,„ IT tr ronirig (ell' CliANcpL_ -•-• •.,.....1...---Tili, 171,-.:- .0,11- 15, row. .p.st...,_____pone the rest ilii the jitd" ''("1, attended by the Allc`' ,Oeileicol t h e blaster the Attorney and 501iCit°,re o,lolio the c "stet of the Rolls, an ( ! DeallY l''f0;11, Itotl,ehaniicer„y Be'r, proceeded Iran bis.tter l'tipil where ' the Courts to Weil" iccost"lo,t formalities, were opened Oh ii'Cillicli'A,deil T ___. atiti,,, it heir the firs,: agy of' ily cro`;"icco frvorirl.i.theWestrnitoter He was 01)°6‘1,41,iet ),1;01111 taking novelly of the two 11,--: Ic i, ain' their Seat mot, pleas. sin the iiing's .W i Vl ' iof 11 On the ..05, ,at hi.,_, arrival of the Dohe of E'vv 000,00' bridge Neils, lie .1. , i,is ~ Thtv, from ~_"I ~,ic GRoitGE P ' dined '"GIN's , whet e bi 9 .1."),,,re.,4 "01011,‘ non . He was ‘yelcoinvd by a ' 11 :,,e C l ' l , l l l 0 ~,,a( 61: from an elevs t tql sit„,ticoi 0 0 `.. rep`/1,111 ..',yr Sir GuEGoR M.c 1 5 0) il ());.. Sontit A r .- ittEGow, sot 1,10.." cc detica, in the brig I ' 151;t 1.7 Paper ) iff d . , i ., 4 ,0 ,0 0) ( r Bart. to are authorized by Sir 10 v r „ t o 00 ( state that the pe rso n '', :Nl 4l d e c3ll herself L 1 liow. Lady 131tUCE her Ore tii'l„ O.!, nail btreet , liar no rie.lit wbaleCer le.— (Morning Poet.) SU, from SUre! ttitr Coin Lave in sta Tv Chic of tl agaii Ar of th 1641 1 a b o , An t rans in ?, a 01 Oh , u At) der a F r , f r(Jll dated 14 rtli (: 01 , 3 , 1i filr t4p y I'llie] t 'oti , Perk *huh tok,, t t„„ t, k • hh rh ho p e, py vtNt . t Xtr; 21 4 ,, t,1 11 1 Of Al 4, WhuieJ ViZ 1) 4:N1 4'414e: